which we ourselves hope for, and so charity increases, and brotherly love becomes more sin

cere.

"But uncle," said Henry, "it is not likely that I should live to the millennium, and there are many holy persons who died long ago, much more holy than I shall ever be-how can such people enjoy the millennium unless there is a resurrection before that time ?"

"I have myself no doubt but that there will be a resurrection before the millennium," answered Mr. Dalben; " and I take my opinion from Revelation, And I saw thrones and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, this is the first resurrection.' Rev. xx. 4, 5. I think also," continued Mr. Dalben, "that we may find the emblem of the resurrection of the just under that of a tree cut down to the root which springs up again when well watered, and visited by the reviving beams of the sun. Men in scripture are compared to trees, as you well know, and though a tree may be cut down to the stump, as death may dissolve the mortal body, yet if the root be left in the ground there is hope for the tree; and if the soul be right with God there is hope also for the body; and in the latter day the earth will

give up her dead, and then the root will bloom again; and thus the glorious prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled, Isai. lv. 12, 13. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.""

"Then," said Henry Milner, "you think, uncle, that all the holy people who lie now buried in the ground like the roots of trees will rise again before the millennium, and will flourish in those happy days like the trees in the garden of God."

6

"I do think so," replied Mr. Dalben," and I do hope I am right: but I do not condemn those who do not think with me. But before we leave this subject, let me recommend to you a lovely passage in Job xiv. 7-12. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: so man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.' By the time that Mr. Dalben had finished

this quotation, they were come within the precincts of a little wood, where the ground, rising towards the south, was clothed with a thick shade, and passing the mouth of a little dell, Mr. Dalben bade Henry look up to observe a waterfall which came rushing from the higher grounds, being surrounded by a variety of trees, on the more lofty branches of which the rays of the setting sun cast a golden lustre, which was beautifully contrasted with the shades below.

There the silver-rinded birch and mountain ash, the oak and sycamore, were grouped together so as to produce the most beautiful effect, whilst the rocky precincts of the waterfall were richly decorated with ivy, and intertangled creepers hanging in wild festoons from the tallest shrubs.

"Behold a page of nature well worthy of our attention," said Mr. Dalben; "tell me, my boy, if you can read that page.'

"I think I can," replied Henry, smiling. "Come then," said Mr. Dalben, "construe it, my son."

"The water," replied Henry, "that sparkling and clear stream which supplied its nourishment to the roots of all those trees and plants that grow around, it is a type of the Holy Spirit, and those trees of the redeemed ones, who being thus fed, are enabled to flourish and produce their leaves and fruit in due season. And so we have altogether a very lovely picture of the millennium, and a much better one than any painter in the world could give us."

"And that sun which shines so brightly on the highest branches," asked Mr. Dalben," is that to be left out of your picture ?"

"No," said Henry," it ought not to be." "But you do not know what to make of it," said Mr. Dalben. "What, I ask you, what is the sun?"

Henry hesitated, on which Mr. Dalben said, "The sun is light embodied, and hence is the type of the God incarnate, and it is the presence of the Saviour which completes the glorious pictures which the prophets give us of millennial blessedness, as it is his presence felt, though not seen in this present life, which gilds the pilgrimage of the believer through the wilderness of the world."

Mr. Dalben and Henry then turned from the waterfall, and pursued their walk to the churchyard, where the little boys having shed the

flowers over the poor Irishman's grave, they all

returned towards their own abode.

CHAPTER VII.

Showing how Henry was drawn into a quarrel which he might have avoided.

As Mr. Dalben turned out of the churchyard, followed by his young companions, they met two boys dressed in smock frocks. One of whom, as they passed, said, "Why, I declare, if that b'an't O'Grady's son, as fine as a lordtimes be strangely altered since this time yesterday."

An angry look which Mr. Dalben gave to the speaker, prevented more being added, and as it happened that Maurice had not understood what his old companion had said, for the boys were both in the service of Farmer Smith, he passed him with a nod, into which motion, without being aware of it, the little man had inserted a certain something which seemed to say, I am not too proud to know you, though I have got a new coat.

This little air, which, by the bye, was the more out of place, as Maurice was not a hundred feet from his poor father's grave, was not however lost upon Tom Bliss, for such was the name of the boy who had made the impertinent speech above-mentioned, and he accordingly told his companion that he was resolved to give